Anonymous Icelandic duo Daddy Issues aim to pulverize on their newest EP release, Engan Asa.
Falling somewhere between beatdown hardcore and deathcore, Daddy Issues‘ sound is one that thrives on piss, vinegar, and bulldozing grooves. Filled with hammering riffs and no nonsense breakdowns, interwoven with dissonance and occasional atmospheric qualities, the racket that Daddy Issues make is definitely familiar but has just enough character to set it apart from more run-of-the-mill acts. This racket is proudly put on display on Engan Asa; an 18-minute full-force beatdown of completely pissed instrumentation.
The title track kicks the record off to a thunderous start with a powerful stampede of palm-muted, gut-wrenching guitar riffs, indicative of slam death metal, that only become more destructive as the song reaches its climax. The destruction continues in the following track “Boð”, which charges out of the gate with an arsenal of off-kilter grooves and throttling, hyperactive drumming. The mayhem briefly dies down near the end of the track when an interesting, almost post-rock interlude takes over before head-bang worthy drum patterns pave the way for one final burst of metallic violence.
“Ruslið úti” features an infectious bouncing, almost nu-metal groove permeating throughout, but is displaced by inflections of angular guitar work and chugging breakdowns. The following track, “Lauf”, proves to be the EP’s most multifaceted. The track begins with a vicious attack of disemboweling death metal riffs, palm-muted beatdowns and dissonant swarms before arriving at a dreary, atmospheric bridge. The swelling atmospherics are eventually overtaken by acidic, noisy chords as the track reaches its conclusion of deathcore supremacy. “Þermill” then ends the EP on a gloriously violent note with a barrage of spiraling, metalcore-esque riffs and curb-stomping breakdowns.
Daddy Issues‘ Engan Asa certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but definitely comes in handy when looking for a rather straightforward beating.
Rating: 7/10
Release Date: July 25, 2018
Label: Independent
Favorite Tracks: “Boð”, “Lauf” and “Þermill”
